A winding tape instrument made of a cloth and having a configuration with automatic rewinding using a spiral spring has been known (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 11-264702) as a tool for measuring the thickness of parts of human or animal body. When a waist is measured for higher accuracy by using the winding tape instrument, the measurements are conduced in a state in which the measuring belt of the winding tape instrument is stretched tightly, without a slack, around the waist, that is, in a state in which the measuring belt is tensioned. When the size of the body part is thus measured with the winding tape instrument, it is necessary to stretch the measuring belt and apply tension thereto, that is, to pull out all the slack.
Further, a method for measuring the length of a fishing line by using a magnet and a Hall IC has also been suggested. However, because a pair of Hall IC and magnets provided in separate places was used as means for judging the rotation direction of the spool (forward or reverse rotation direction) and measuring means, the configuration was complex and the size was large (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 7-115881).
Moreover, a method for determining the draw-out length, that is, the travel distance of a film wound on a rotary shaft by using a number of pulse signals from an encoder provided on the rotary shaft has also been suggested, but film rewinding was not assumed in any way (Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 8-310699).